A few years ago, I realized that my dad needed to move into a care facility instead of living with us. He was always depressed and he needed to be around more people his own age. It was a really difficult decision, but after we moved him into a care facility, he really blossomed. It was great to see him happy, healthy, and enjoying things on his own. This blog is here to help other people to enjoy their own lives and to care for loved ones who need special assistance. I know that with the help of assisted living, everyone can enjoy a better life.
Improving Your Loved One's Nursing Home Experience
Home Health Provides Temporary Wound-Care Services for Seniors
Nora Jones
If your senior mom lives alone and is about to have surgery, she might be left with an open wound that will need to be taken care of for a period of time. If she is not able to do this herself, and if you are not able to visit her daily, you may want to hire a home-health company to handle her wound-care needs. Home health workers can do many tasks, including this type of task, and they can be hired for temporary services like this. Here are several things you should know about this.
Why wound-care services are important
Many types of surgeries can leave people with open wounds, and it takes time for the wounds to heal. The goal of wound care is to help the wounds heal as quickly as possible, and this requires keeping the wounds clean and dressed properly. If open wounds are not taken care of properly, infections can form, and this can lead to delayed healing and other health issues.
What wound care consists of
Wound care consists of a couple of main things. The first is keeping fresh bandages on the wounds. An open wound will seep blood and other fluids while it is healing. These fluids will fill up bandages quickly in some cases. If the bandages are not replaced when this happens, it is more likely that an infection will begin forming. This is why replacing the dressings on the wound is vital.
The second step of wound care involves cleaning the wound. This often involves gently wiping it to remove fluids from it. It also typically involves applying some type of medicated ointment that is designed to kill bacteria to the wound.
Wound care also requires knowledge with cleaning and maintaining wounds. If someone does not know how to do this, they may end up reopening the wound as it is healing, and this too can lead to delayed healing.
How long it may be needed
If your parent will have an open wound after surgery, you may need to hire a home healthcare company for a few days or a few weeks. The time frame depends on the size of the wound, your parent's health, and the speed at which the wound heals. She may need to have a home healthcare worker come just once a day to clean and change the dressings, or she may need this two or three times per day. Every situation is different, and a home healthcare worker will be able to tell you how often the services will be needed.
If your parent needs any type of help at home, you can hire a home healthcare company such as Hillcrest Nursing Center for services. To learn more, contact a company that specializes in these services.
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